3 players from last year's Guardians team that will be missed and 1 who won't

Like every team getting prepared for the upcoming season, the Cleveland Guardians will have a slightly different look to their roster. Throughout the season, there will be reminders of who was on the roster just last year and whether or not their departures will be missed. The following former Guardians are five players that will fall into either category.

1. 2024 Guardians player that will be missed - Matthew Boyd

In need of pitching help, the Cleveland Guardians signed Matthew Boyd to a one-year deal in June of 2024. Boyd underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, cutting his second stint with the Detroit Tigers short. This was a low-risk, high-reward move for Cleveland at a time of incredible desperation, and it ended up paying off.

Boyd would make eight starts for the Guardians in 2024, finishing with a 2.72 ERA, 1.134 WHIP, and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, proving to be quite the find by Cleveland's front office. This resulted in other teams being interested in his services, with Boyd agreeing to terms on a two-year contract with the Chicago Cubs this past December.

When looking at Cleveland's rotation as it stands currently, there are a ton of question marks behind ace Tanner Bibee, making Boyd's departure hurt just a bit more. Sure, there is no guarantee that Boyd will perform at or near the same level as he did last season, but having someone who looked flat-out dominant at times down the stretch would help ease concerns about Cleveland's rotation in 2025.